Lothestel
by TheMaskedArtist
Summary: This story is about Eliniél's mother, who gave her life away to save her three young children.


There was once an elf, kindest as they come. She had fair skin, and long flowing brown hair. She was energetic, sweet, and always obeyed her elders. She did things without fuss, or question. She lived in Mirkwood and every so often went to visit the other Elven Kingdoms. On one very special trip, escorting Lord Thranduil to Lothlorien is when she met the renowned March warden of Lorien. That is when she fell blindly in love with him. Her name was Lothestel. And his name was Haldir.

One night, when the trees were still, and the night was lit by the moon, they lay in his bed, entwined within each other's arms. They did what they were made to do, and mated with each other. And when it was time for her to depart, to go back to Mirkwood, she learned that she was with child. Instead of departing, she decided to stay, with her beloved Haldir.

Later that year, approximately nine months after that night, she gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. They soon named him Telyáve. Telyáve grew into a fine young elf. His father taught him archery and his mother taught him the sword. Day after day, month after month, year after year, his talents grew. Two hundred years came and went. And soon, very soon in fact, it was said, throughout the Woods of Lothlorien, that Lady Lothestel would bear yet another child.

While his mother was in her bed, Telyáve did the work he was told to do. He was just like his mother. He obeyed her every command, without a fuss or question. Too soon had it come, though, that the new child was born. This time a girl, with her father's face, but her mother's skin and hair. This one was named Eliniél. Soon all the attention had been focused on her, that Telyáve became so dreadfully jealous. He started throwing fits and started to not obey his parents. As young as he was, Lothestel and Haldir both did not care.

And yet, another hundred years went by. Eliniél grew, and her older brother soon got used to the fact that he shouldn't be jealous, but happy. And again, one late night, after putting Eliniél and Telyáve to rest, Lothestel became pregnant again. When she had this baby, in no time at all, they called her Maranwé, destiny.

Years and years went by, with much happiness and peace. One day, when Telyáve was helping Haldir with Maranwé's archery studies, Eliniél was being taught the sword by her mother. By noon, the bright midsummer sun had been clouded over. This is when the trouble started. Eliniél stopped so suddenly in mid-attack, that her mother, caught off-guard by this, gave Eliniél a slice on the cheek. Eliniél stared in utter surprise, out at the forest behind her mother, as if she hadn't noticed that her cut was bleeding.

Lothestel, surprised at her daughter's actions, turned around to face the forest. She didn't understand what was wrong. She turned back around to face her daughter. Haldir, who had noticed from a few hundred feet away, that there was no movement coming from Eliniél and Lothestel. He told Telyáve to take over, while he went to check up on the other two. As Haldir walked away, Telyáve pointed to an empty place in the forest for Maranwé to shoot her arrow.

Maranwé made ready her bow and arrow and took her shot. The arrow soared through the forest. Maranwé turned to get another arrow but suddenly stopped when she heard a shriek. She quickly turned around, and looked to where her older brother was looking. They waited for a few moments. Eliniél was still staring; Lothestel was also looking to where the shriek had come from. Haldir had stopped dead in his tracks, and was also looking. Soon, something wandered up the small hill. They could see it oh-so-perfectly now. It was an Orc. And the arrow was in its stomach. As soon as he had staggered up the hill, he fell over, obviously dead.

As soon as the Orc fell, Lothestel and Haldir tried to hurry their children back, through the woods, to warn Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn of their findings. Too soon did the arrows start flying from beyond the hill. The family tried to avoid the arrows. Maranwé, who was still very small, got her cloak caught on a low branch. Lothestel made Haldir run and take Eliniél and Telyáve with him.

Lothestel ran back for Maranwé, and got her free. Just as an arrow was headed for Maranwé, Lothestel stood in its path. She took the arrow in the chest and fell backwards on her small daughter. Haldir turned around as soon as he heard Maranwé's tiny little voice, give off a very loud scream. Telyáve and Eliniél also turned. But as soon as Telyáve saw his mother, he covered his little sister's eyes.

Despite all the arrows that were flying, Haldir ran fast, back to his beloved, and his small daughter. And arrow ran past him and scraped Telyáve's cheek. Telyáve took his sister's hand and pulled her behind a tree with him, just before an arrow flew into her head. Haldir reached Lothestel, picked her up, and ran with Maranwé, as fast as they could. The arrows ceased, maybe because the Orcs had run out, or because they though they were all dead, who knows.

Haldir put Telyáve in charge of his little siblings. He told Telyáve to take them back to his chambers, and stay there. Telyáve nodded and left with his little sisters. Haldir, on the other hand, went to Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn, with Lothestel still in his arms. Soon after he arrived, she died. Noticing that her body had gone limp and cold, Haldir set it down on the ground, and pulled out the arrow as a single tear fell down his cheek.

When Galadriel and Celeborn had learned of Haldir's findings, they sent him to care for his children, and sent the others off to protect the woods. As soon as the three little children saw him, they walked up to him. They had felt the presence of Death and knew at that moment that their mother wasn't coming back.

Just weeks after their mother's death, her funeral was held. Lothestel's grave was placed under the tree that she enjoyed to sit under, and read myths and fantasies of the sort, to her children. It was the first day that all the children wore black garments. Telyáve was clad in a black tunic, with pants that were sort of baggy. Eliniél wore a long black dress, with cuffs of golden threaded rope around the elbows. Maranwé was dressed in the softest black dress anyone had ever touches, with gold thread sewn into the design of leaves around the top and bottom of her dress.

'Twas a sad occasion, for all, I'm sure. But Haldir was the one who grieved the most. He sat days on end, by the grave that bore the body of his beloved wife. Only one of his three beautiful children could he stand to see. Telyáve was the one, the only one. Whenever his bright blue eyes laid on Eliniél or Maranwé, his heart would swell with pain. For they, unlike Telyáve, reminded him of her, Lothestel.

A few years past, without Haldir ever looking at his two young daughters. They both had grown. No one could surpass their beauty. Telyáve got fed up with his father, leaving the room whenever they entered. Or, never doing anything with them. All the two girls had right then, was a brother, who was acting on behalf of Haldir. Once his sisters were roaming around the forest, with their father's brothers, Rumil and Orophin, Telyáve went up to talk to his father.

When Rumil, Orophin, Eliniél, and Maranwé returned from their walk, both Telyáve and Haldir were there to greet them. This was a surprise to the two girls, who had not seen but a glimpse of their father in years. They each hugged him in turn, and he had a smile on his face. That night, they all stayed up late to spend time with each other.

A few hundred years past, and the girls were mature, and grown up. All three, Telyáve, Eliniél, and Maranwé were all excellent with the bow. Telyáve mastered the sword. But, one bright spring day, Eliniél was running through the forest, crying, for she had just gotten into a fight with her older brother. She had her head to the ground and stumbled into somebody else. They both fell over, with Eliniél on top of the other person. She got up quickly, to let the other person up. She gave her apology and started to run again. But, the stranger caught her arm.

He took his other hand and cupped her chin, and pulled it up so she was looking into his face, to look at her more closely. They stared at each other for moments on end, and finally looked away. She realized how incredibly handsome he was. He realized how incredibly beautiful she was.

After a few hours of waiting for her sister to come home, Telyáve went out, looking for her. He wanted to apologize for making her feel inferior. After a while of searching in the woods, he came upon two young elves, one was blonde, and the other brunette. He watched them for a moment, and then went on, thinking about how much the girl looked like his sister. And the boy looked like his friend Amáro. He suddenly stopped, and noticed that it was them.

He turned around to watch them again, hidden behind the trees. They sat there, staring into each other's eyes. Had they fallen in love? Telyáve desperately wanted to know. After a while, Amáro stood up, and offered his hand to help Eliniél up. She looked in Telyáve's direction, acknowledging that she knew he was there, and walked away with Amáro.

Telyáve was overjoyed for his sister, and later that night, came to get her when he father told him too. Eliniél told her family of her new found love, and now you have heard the first of many stories of Lothestel. She was one of the most beautiful elves in Middle Earth. And now I lay my quill down and ever hope that my mother's story will someday be heard by a future child's ears. For I am Eliniél, of Lothlorien.


End file.
